Oak gall wasp infections of Quercus robur leaves lead to profound modifications in foliage photosynthetic and volatile emission characteristics

Oak trees (Quercus) are hosts of diverse gall-inducing parasites, but the effects of gall formation on the physiology and biochemistry on host oak leaves is poorly understood. The influence of infection by four species from two widespread gall wasp genera, Neuroterus (N.anthracinus and N.albipes) and Cynips (C.divisa and C.quercusfolii), on foliage morphology, chemistry, photosynthetic characteristics, constitutive isoprene, and induced volatile emissions in Q. robur was investigated. Leaf dry mass per unit area (M-A), net assimilation rate per area (A(A)), stomatal conductance (g(s)), and constitutive isoprene emissions decreased with the severity of infection by all gall wasp species. The reduction in A(A) was mainly determined by reduced M-A and to a lower extent by lower content of leaf nitrogen and phosphorus in gall-infected leaves. The emissions of lipoxygenase pathway volatiles increased strongly with increasing infection severity for all 4 species with the strongest emissions in major vein associated species, N.anthracinus. Monoterpene and sesquiterpene emissions were strongly elicited in N.albipes and Cynips species, but not in N.anthracinus. These results provide valuable information for diagnosing oak infections using ambient air volatile fingerprints and for predicting the impacts of infections on photosynthetic productivity and whole tree performance.